UK Government publishes list of UK EMC and Safety ‘designated’ standards

European harmonised standards are used by many businesses to provide a presumption of conformity with the relevant EU laws.

After the end of the Brexit transition period on 31st December 2020, the essential legal requirements that customers must meet will remain the same as they are now.

All harmonised standards that give a presumption of conformity to EU law at the end of the transition period will become ‘designated standards’ by the references being published on the UK government’s website.

These ‘designated standards’ will be able to be used by businesses to provide presumption of conformity with GB law.

Placing goods on the Northern Ireland market, EU rules will continue to apply and Harmonised standards will remain the relevant standards. Find out more.

A designated standard is a standard, developed by consensus, which may be recognised by government in part or in full by publishing the reference on the UK government’s website. Depending on the product, it can be a standard published by any of the following recognised standardisation bodies:
British Standards Institution (BSI)
European Committee for Standardisation (CEN)
European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation (Cenelec)
European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

BSI the UK’s National Standards Body has the responsibility for the content of standards.

From 1 January 2021, when deciding if a standard is appropriate for designation, the government will check how far the standard covers the various essential requirements set out in the relevant legislation.

The government may decide not to designate or to designate with restriction. Any such restrictions will be described on the UK government’s website, businesses should check frequently.

In the interests of transparency, the government will, for 28 days, make publicly available a notice of proposal to publish references to standards. Interested parties may object to the publication within the 28-day timeframe. The references to the standards will be published for the purposes of designation of the standards on the 29th day unless the notice is withdrawn or amended before that date.